Pressure die for wire drawing



Aug. 25, 1964 J. 5. CASE 3,145,832

PRESSURE DIE FOR WIRE DRAWING Filed May 2, 1961 F/G.3. F/G.4.

42 20\. 32 Q as P 3a 30 w 20 A] JOHN 5 CASE 40 I I P INVENTOR ATTORNEY -#4 w P Q Products, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 2, 1961, Ser. No. 107,155 3 Claims. (Cl. 205-25) The present invention relates to wire drawing dies and more particularly to the lubrication of wire guides and drawing dies.

It is an object of this invention to provide a die assembly having a constant flow of lubricant into the orifice of a wire guide and the concentration of this lubricant under pressure at the entrance of a drawing die.

Another object of this invention is to provide a recirculation of a lubricant through a relief port arranged in a die assembly dimensionally so as to control the pressure of the lubricant presented to a drawing die orifice.

Even another object of this invention is to provide a die assembly for controlling the cooling of a drawing die by the presentation of fresh lubricant to the die orifice as well as a circulation of water through a die holding block.

And another object of this invention is to provide a die assembly for utilizing the feeding of a wire through a drawing die to deliver and maintain the pressure lubrication of the drawing die.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a helper die preceding a drawing die and to maintain a pressure lubrication chamber therebetween, with means for relief of the pressure lubricant in. the chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide a soap or lubricant reservoir through which a wire must pass adjacent and preceding a water cooled die holder, which reservoir serves to cool the incoming wire as it is coated with a lubricant.

Many other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wire drawing machine showing the associated parts incorporating features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a water cooled die holder;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of a drawing die and a relief port taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a Wire 20 which is directed through a pulley 12 for guiding the wire 20 into a lubricant reservoir 14 which is supplied with a lubricant 16.

The wire 20 is then passed through a water cooled die holder assembly 18 which is supplied with water through a feeder pipe 26 and a discharge pipe 24. From the die holder assembly 18, the wire 20 travels to a take-up spool 22 of a wire drawing machine 10.

Referring now to the details of FIG. 2, the die holder assembly 18 is supplied with water by the feeder pipe 26 and it is discharged therefrom through a discharge pipe 24 which is connected by passage 28, indicated by dotted lines to the feeder pipe 26.

A die holder block 44 serves as a seat for a die retainer nut 42. This die retainer nut 42 serves also to align a helper die holder 36 and a helper die 38 which is positioned in this helper die holder 36. A pressure relief port bushing 41 and a pressure relief port channel 40 is also positioned in the helper die holder 36.

The previously mentioned lubricant 16 is indicated as ice positioned in the pressure relief port 40 and between the helper die 38 and the drawing die 34 in the wire drawing die body 32 which is seated in a die holder block 44. A clearance hole or aperture 30 is provided in the body of the die holder block 44 for passage of the wire 20 therethrough after passing through the die 34. The die holder block 44 also contains the previously mentioned water cooling passage 28. The wire 20, shown in FIG. 3, is illustrated in a drawing position.

FIG. 4 shows the wire 20 positioned in the helper die 38 which is located in the helper die holder 36 along with the relief port 40 and relief port bushing 41 which can be threadedly positioned in the die holder 36 by threads thereon. This view is furnished to more clearly show the annular clearance that exists between the wire 20 and the helper die 38. This clearance is required to permit the moving wire 20 to draw into and through this helper die 38 a constant flow of fresh lubricant, such as calcium stearate or sodium stearate, with suitable additives of various types to improve lubrication and cooling of the wire 20 as it passes through the die holder assembly 18 to be reduced in diameter by the appropriate wire drawing die 34 positioned in .the die body 32 of the die holder assembly 18.

It is to be noted that the aperture in the removably mounted pressure relief port bushing 41 can be varied in diameter as desired by placing a bushing 41 having the appropriate sized aperture in the helper die holder 36. Depending upon the size of the aperture in the bushing 41, any desired pressure of lubricant 16 can be built up in the die assembly 18.

In actual operation, the wire 20 to be reduced in diameter by drawing through the wire drawing die 34 is passed first through the lubricant reservoir 14, where, due to its rapid forward movement, it pulls the powdered lubricant 16 through the annular clearance between the wire 20 and the helper die 38 into the space between the helper die 38, the helper die holder 34, the drawing die body 32, and the drawing die 34, where, due to the high pressure that the lubricant is subjected to, it is converted into a plastic lubricant, which is used eifectively for lubricating the wire 20 being drawn or reduced in diameter by the wire drawing die 34. Any excess lubricant 16 is fed back through the aperture in the bushing 41, and passage 40 back to the lubricant reservoir 14, where it solidifies and is again passed back through the helper die 38 as previously described.

Although there is shown and described only one preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be definitely understood that it is not desired to limit the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the structure and arrangement of the several parts, within the spirit of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wire drawing apparatus having a helper die and a wire drawing die positioned in axial alignment with said helper die and spaced therefrom to define a pressure chamber for wire drawing lubricant between said dies, a replaceable relief port positioned in said helper die and having its aperture communicating between said pressure chamber and the atmosphere, with the diameter of said aperture being of predetermined size to control the pressure buildup of said wire drawing lubricant in said pressure chamber.

2. In a wire drawing apparatus having a helper die and a wire drawing die positioned in axial alignment with said helper die and spaced therefrom to define a pressure chamber for wire drawing lubricant between said dies, an outlet passage communicating between said pressure chamber and the atmosphere and a relief port removably positioned in said outlet passage, with the aperture of said relief port having a diameter of predetermined size to 3,145,832 3 4 control the pressure buildup of said wire drawing lubri- References Cited in the file of this patent cant in said pressure chamber.

3. In the wire drawing apparatus as recited in claim 2, UNITED STATES PATENTS wherein said relief port is a bushing having external 2,088,040 Simmons et al July 27, 1937 threads engaging said helper die. 5 2,188,470 Brandt Jan. 30, 1940 

1. IN A WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS HAVING A HELPER DIE AND A WIRE DRAWING DIE POSITIONED IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID HELPER DIE AND SPACED THEREFROM TO DEFINE A PRESSURE CHAMBER FOR WIRE DRAWING LUBRICANT BETWEEN SAID DIES, A REPLACEABLE RELIEF PORT POSITIONED IN SAID HELPER DIE AND HAVING ITS APERTURE COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER AND THE ATMOSPHERE, WITH THE DIAMETER OF SAID APERTURE BEING OF PREDETERMINED SIZE TO CONTROL THE PRESSURE BUILDUP OF SAID WIRE DRAWING LUBRICANT IN SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER. 